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SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
FIFTH BRÂHMANA. 1. Now as to the building itself. He builds between the two (performances of the) Upasads1. For at that time the gods were afraid lest the fiends, the Rakshas, should destroy that (Agni's body) of theirs (built) there? They saw these strongholds, the Upasads, to wit, these worlds, for these worlds are indeed strongholds. They entered them, and having entered them, they completed that body in a place free from danger and devilry; and in like manner does the Sacriñcer now, after entering these strongholds, complete this body in a place free from danger and devilry.
2. And, again, as to why he builds between the Upasads. At this time the gods were afraid lest the fiends, the Rakshas, should destroy that (Agni's body) of theirs (built) there. They saw these thunderbolts, the Upasads, for the Upasads indeed are thunderbolts: they entered them, and, having entered them, they completed that body in a place free from danger and devilry; and in like manner does the Sacrificer now, after entering those thunder
The Upasads (or sieges) are performed twice a day on at least three days (the regular number for ordinary one day's Soma-sacrifices) intervening between the end of the Dîksha (initiation) and the day of the Soma-sacrifice; see part ii, p. 105, note 1. On the first day the first layer is built between the two performances (whilst the final preparation of the altar-site, as well as the building of the Gârhapatya altar and the installation of the Ukhya Agni thereon, takes place before the morning performance of the Upasads), and on the second day the remaining layers are built.
For the construction in the oratio directa, see part iii, p. 34, note 2.
8 Or, they went into their shelter (pra-pad). .
